BENEFITS OF BHAGAVAD GITA
1. vedeṣu yajñeṣu tapaḥsu caiva
dāneṣu yat puṇya-phalaṁ pradiṣṭam
atyeti tat sarvam idaṁ viditvā
yogī paraṁ sthānam upaiti cādyam.
whatever benefits one may get by studying Vedas and performing
yajña, tapasya, and charity, one will surpass(atyeti) them simply by
studying BG.By studying Vedas, one concludes that Kṛṣṇa is
Bhagavān. By performing yajña, one goes to heavenly planets to
enjoy,by tapasya, one controls senses, by charity, one follows
dharma. One can obtain these material benefits by performing all
these activities but by reading BG, one gets both spiritual and
material benefits.
• māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya
ye ’pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ
striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās
te ’pi yānti parāṁ gatim.
• .for all. This is very important to
Everyone can read BG as it is open
understand because there are a lot of restrictions to study Vedas.
Only brāhmaṇas can study Vedas because they are trained from
childhood and have brahminical qualities. Vaiśyās and sūdras,
situated in lower āśramas in Varṇāśrama system, and females are
not allowed to study Vedas. Still, they can read BG, indicating that
BG is also easy to understand compared to Vedas.Even sinful ppl
can read BG.
• ananyāś cintayanto māṁ
ye janāḥ paryupāsate
teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ
• yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham
•
Śrīla Prabhupāda writes in the purport that we connect to Bhagavān
(yoga) by reading BG and when we are in touch with Him, Kṛṣṇa
protects us (kṣema) so that we do not fall down or break our
connection with Him. Bhagavān will help us to connect with Him.
This is yoga. Bhagavān protects that connection from breaking. This
is kṣema. In other words, Bhagavān guides and nurtures us. Śrīla
Prabhupāda says that Kṛṣṇa protects whatever we have (yoga) and
supplies whatever we do not have (kṣema). Devotees have bhakti
which Kṛṣṇa protects. They do not have prem, which Kṛṣṇa gives.
This is another viewpoint.
•
kṣipraṁ bhavati dharmātmā
śaśvac-chāntiṁ nigacchati
kaunteya pratijānīhi
na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati
brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā
na śocati na kāṅkṣati
samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu
mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām
BG 18.54
dehino ’smin yathā dehe
kaumāraṁ yauvanaṁ jarā
tathā dehāntara-prāptir
dhīras tatra na muhyati
arjuna uvāca
sthita-prajñasya kā bhāṣā
samādhi-sthasya keśava
sthita-dhīḥ kiṁ prabhāṣeta
kim āsīta vrajeta kim
Kṛṣṇa says that one will become sthita-prajña, i.e., one will remain
undisturbed in any condition by reading BG. Prajña means
consciousness and sthita means stable. There is a difference
between dhīra and sthita-prajña. A dhīra is detached from the body
and mind and is free of kāma-vāsana. A sthita-prajña is
undisturbed is unaffected by any situation in this world. He is not
disturbed by any problem in his life. He is almost dead from the
world’s perspective.
vidyā-vinaya-sampanne
brāhmaṇe gavi hastini
śuni caiva śva-pāke ca
paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinah
By reading BG or following its injunctions, one will become a paṇdita. Paṇdita
has all good qualities, including vinaya or humility, the queen of all good
qualities. If one cultivates humility, all other good qualities will manifest
naturally. One also develops vidyā, or the wisdom of life. Vidyā also means
experience or anubhava that one is not the body but ātmā and develops
śraddhā in the laws of karma, among others. One will also see every living
entity with an equal vision as part and parcel of Bhagavān. He will not
discriminate between a good and a bad person and a sinful and pious person.
A paṇdita sees that everyone is part and parcel of Bhagavān and tries to bring
everyone back to Bhagavān.
janma karma ca me divyam
evaṁ yo vetti tattvataḥ
tyaktvā dehaṁ punar janma
naiti mām eti so ’rjuna
By reading BG, one can be freed from birth and death
forever if one desires. Even if one does not desire so,
reading BG will develop the desire.
ye tu dharmāmṛtam idaṁ
yathoktaṁ paryupāsate
śraddadhānā mat-paramā
bhaktās te ’tīva me priyāḥ
One will become very, very dear to Kṛṣṇa by reading BG. If we
become dear to Kṛṣṇa, it does not matter whether or not we get
the other nine benefits. It is not important whether Kṛṣṇa is dear
to us but what is more important is if we are dear to Kṛṣṇa.
Therefore, Kṛṣṇa did not say that He becomes dear to the one who
reads BG.
